Anti-rail-creeping device.



' M. L. PHELPS.

ANTI-RAIL GBEEPING DEVIGB.

APPLICATION FILED mm. 10, 1913.

Patented May 27, 1913.

av ENTOR.

l V/TNESS UNITEDSTATESIHENT OFFICE MERIT): L. estates, (in COLORADO my, COLORADO.

AurI-nAIL-citnnrme Device.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I-,-I\IERITT L. PHELrs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Colorado. City, county of El Paso, 'btate of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Anti-Rail-Creeping Devices; and I do hereby declare the follow ing to be a full, clear, and'exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art-to which it'appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in means for preventingrailroad rails from creeping; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light ofthe following explanation of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now believe to be the preferred mechanical expression, or-

cinbodiinent, of my invention from among other formations and arrangements Within' and contraction of the individual rails under the influence of climatic or temperature conditions.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for preventing the c'reeping of railroad. rails and at the same time bracing and strengthening said rails, embodying transversely arranged corrugations on the bottom face of the rail base formed in the process of making the rail by rolling or swag-tug the metal thereof to produce comparatively long rolling rounded or curved corresponding transversevalleys and ridges constituting a so-called Wavin corrugation effect,

The invention consists in certain novel features in formation and in combinations and arrangements as more fully and particularly set forthhereinafter. I

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, is a perspective view showing a portion of a railroad rail constructed in accordance with my invention. 'Fig. 2, is a perspective vie\ v of the 'rail and:t ie plate assembled on a he, the securing spikes not 7 Specification 'of Letters rarest.

Application filed February 10, 1913. Serial No. 747,484. I

Patented May 27, 1913.

being shown. Fig. 3, is an elevation of the rail, plate and tie. spective of the tie plate. Y

In the drawings, I show part of a rail 1, having the bottom of its base 2, corrugated by uniformly spaced similar parallel transverse 'concavities or valleys 3, and intervening parallel ribs or ridges 4, all similar to each other but preferably not formedj'by curves of the same radius as those etf thevalleys, usually so that the corrugationsfare' rolling or wavy, but I do not Wish to so-limi-t my invention. The valleys and ridges preferably extend from one longitudinal edge Fig. 4:, is a detail petaof the base to the opposite edge thereof and the corrugations extend preferably through out the length of the rail.

The rail base is corrugated in the-process of manufacture and while heated by swaging, forging or pressing so that the coin pleted rail will be stiflened and strengthened by the formation and presence of the norm gations. The rail is preferably corrugated by suitably formed rolls or dies during the rolling process although my'invention is not so limited. Where the corrugations are formed by thus pressing the metal of the;

rail the finished product is strengthened, Whereas the rail is seriously weakened by transt'crseor other cuts that sever the grain or fiber of the metal or form starting points or lines for breaks. Railroad rails having the bottom faces of their bases formed with corrugations, will, when properly seated on -ties or supports formed to receive the same, tend to hold said ties or supports properly spaced, and resist rail creeping or running.

My invention particularly conten'iplates a tie plate corrugated for use in combination with said corrugated rail. plate 5, formed to rest on a tie and extend I Show a tietransversely beneath the rail and project in opposite directions beyond the same. The plate is formed with spike holes 6, approximately at the. corners thereof to receive spikes (not shown) for securing the plate to the tie and so that the spikeheads will lap over the rail base and secure the same to the plate.

The plate is formed at its top face with a'raised edge or shoulder 7, to engage the outer longitudinal edge of the rail base; and

thereby brace the rail against spreading or displacement, While theunder facepottho plate can be formed with ribs ts, to sink into the tie and thereby aid in holding the plate against movement on the tie. The top surface of the plate traversed by and receiving the corrugated bottom of the rail base is approximately correspondingly formed with parallel valleys 9, and ridges 10, or in other words, is corrugated to receive and mesh .with the corrugations of the rail to most effectively lock the rail to the tie against creeping or running. However, the ridges 10, of the plate are narrower than the valleys of the bottom surfaceof the rail and do not fill the full width of said .valleys.

.Opein spaces hence intervene between the opovercome by my invention, inasmuch as where it has heretofore been possible to rigidly fix and lock the rails to the ties against longitudinai movement independ" ently of the ties, a more serious and dangerafis condition resulted than thereto eiristed due to the individual expansion and con- ,traction of the rails under temperature changes. The contraction and expansion of rails rigidly fixed to tie plates and ties will necessarily destroy the connections thus established and result in most dangerous conditions.

The dangerous tract: dents that result from l'EUClKlQCl track, rails that kick out, and broken rails, caused by creeping, are Well l nden d and many experts have endeavored to solve the problem, and railroads have spent large sums in itforts to overcome the difficulty, but according to my information andbelief these effortsliave not been wholly successful and satisfactory. I

-My invention attains the desired result inasmuch as the rails are held to the ties against creeping or running while the allowancepf spacelateraily between the engaging bearing surfaces of the rail and plate provide for the expansion and contraction of each individual rail without disturbing the anti-creeping loch between the rails and ties.

My invention conten'iplates a rail. hast having depressions and bearing surfaces and a support having depressions and bean conditions and acciing surfaces with allowance to permit con traction and expansion of the rail.

It is evident that various changes, variations and modifications might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact disclosure hereof.

hat I claim is;

1. 2h railroad rail having the floor of its base formed with wave-like corrugations pressed therein, in combination with a tie plate having wavelike corrugations pressed in its top face and meshing with said corrugations of the rail.

2. A railroad rail having its base formed with series of transversely-disposed depressions and intervening ridges, in combination with a tie plate having ridges entering said depressions to hold the ail against creeping, said ridges and depressions of the rail and plate being so relatively formed as to provide lateral spaces. to allow for-expansion and contraction of they rail indepcndently of the tie plate;

3. A railroad rail having the bottom face of its base formed with unitorl'nly spaced parallel transversely arranged valleys and intervening ridges pressed therein, in combination with a tie plate formed for being fixedly secured to a tie and having parallel transverse valleys to receive the ridges of said rail and intervening ridges to enter the alleys ot' the rail, said ridges being less in width. than said valleys for the purpose de scribed.

4;. A railroad rail having the bottom face of its base corrugated in combination with a support therefor having its top face corrugated to mesh with the corrugations of the rail, lateral spaces intervening between the intermeshing bearing surfaces of the rail and support to allow for expansion and, contraction. of the rail independently of and on the support. i

5. A railroad rail having the under face of its base formed with transversely curving corrugations pressed therein in combination with a tie plate having corrugations pressed in its top face and adapted to mesh with the corrugations-of the rail to hold the rail against creeping.

G. A railroad rail having the floor of its base formed with wave-like corrugations, in

con'lbination with a tie plate having wave-.

like corrugations in its top :t'ace meshing with said corrugations of the rail.

In testimony whereof I athx my signature,

in presence. two witnesses.

MERITT L. PHELPS; Witnesses TB. Neuron, Leo. A. -DonLac. 

